Hello,
I ran a big emerge -u last sunday (230+ packages) and all hell broke loose. The emerging was ok, but the X system is almost unusable.

The most obvious symptom is an X-application freezing, with 100% CPU use. The mouse still moves, but the desktop is totally unresponsive. I first thought it was an application-related problem (Thunderbird was upgraded, it's almost always the first app I start in my session, it froze really quickly while eating memory), but that does not seem to be not the case : clicking on the KDE menu bar, or just moving the mouse may trigger the freeze (it's then the X server that rockets to 100% CPU usage).

No message to Xorg log file.
No message through syslog.

The computer is still usable through the network/ssh. If the X server is killed, the console becomes usable again.

I downgraded anything I could to get back to last week configuration, to no avail. Downgrade successful (x11 libs, KDE libs, xorg server and drivers, nvidia driver...) but the system still freezes (I did not downgrade everything, as some ebuilds were removed from portage).

Any idea of how to chase the problem and get my system back to normal ?

can you post the list of the 230 pkgs you've upgraded?_________________Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the former - Albert Einstein
ProjectFootball

Here it comes. 206 packages as a matter of fact, and contrary to what I said it was not an error-free emerge. Several packages failed (and the emerge was restarted) because of a make jobserver error.

Quote:

app-cdr/cdrdao-1.2.3-r1 to /
app-crypt/gpgme-1.3.2 to /
app-crypt/mhash-0.9.9.9-r1 to /
app-crypt/pinentry-0.8.2 to /
app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-baselibs-20121028 to /
app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-gtklibs-20121028 to /
app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-opengl-20121028 to /
app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-xlibs-20121028 to /
app-emulation/qemu-1.1.2-r2 to /
app-forensics/sleuthkit-4.0.1 to /
app-text/hunspell-1.3.2-r3 to /
app-text/libspectre-0.2.7 to /
app-text/libwpd-0.9.6 to /
app-text/poppler-0.20.4 to /
app-text/texlive-core-2011-r6 to /
dev-cpp/clucene-2.3.3.4-r4 to /
dev-cpp/libcmis-0.1.0-r1 to /
dev-cpp/libcmis-0.2.3-r1 to /
dev-db/mysql-5.1.66 to /
dev-java/icedtea-bin-6.1.11.5-r1 to /
dev-lang/nasm-2.10.05 to /
dev-lang/orc-0.4.16-r1 to /
dev-libs/apr-1.4.5 to /
dev-libs/boost-1.49.0-r2 to /
dev-libs/cyrus-sasl-2.1.25-r3 to /
dev-libs/hyphen-2.8.6 to /
dev-libs/libaio-0.3.109-r3 to /
dev-libs/libevent-2.0.20 to /
dev-libs/libxml2-2.8.0-r3 to /
dev-libs/nspr-4.9.4 to /
dev-libs/nss-3.14 to /
dev-python/beautifulsoup-4.1.3 to /
dev-python/PyQt4-4.9.4-r1 to /
dev-ruby/kissfft-0.0.1 to /
dev-texlive/texlive-latex-2011 to /
dev-tex/luatex-0.70.1 to /
dev-util/ccache-3.1.8 to /
dev-util/cppunit-1.13.0 to /
dev-util/desktop-file-utils-0.21 to /
dev-util/dialog-1.1.20120706 to /
dev-util/mdds-0.6.1 to /
kde-base/attica-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/audiocd-kio-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/dolphin-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/drkonqi-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/gwenview-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kactivities-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/katepart-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kcalc-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kcheckpass-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kcminit-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kcmshell-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kcontrol-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdebase-data-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdebase-desktoptheme-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdebase-kioslaves-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdebase-menu-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdebase-menu-icons-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdebase-runtime-meta-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdebase-startkde-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdebugdialog-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kde-env-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdelibs-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdepimlibs-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdesu-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kde-wallpapers-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdialog-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdnssd-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kdontchangethehostname-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/keditbookmarks-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/keditfiletype-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kephal-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kfile-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kfind-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kfmclient-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kglobalaccel-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/khelpcenter-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/khotkeys-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kiconfinder-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kioclient-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kmenuedit-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kmimetypefinder-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kmix-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/knetattach-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/knewstuff-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/knotify-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/konqueror-4.9.3-r1 to /
kde-base/konsole-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kpasswdserver-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kquitapp-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kreadconfig-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/krunner-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/ksmserver-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/ksnapshot-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/ksplash-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kstart-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kstartupconfig-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/ksysguard-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/ktimezoned-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/ktraderclient-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kuiserver-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kurifilter-plugins-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kwallet-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kwalletd-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/kwin-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libkcddb-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libkcompactdisc-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libkdcraw-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libkexiv2-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libkipi-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libkonq-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libkworkspace-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/liboxygenstyle-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libplasmaclock-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libplasmagenericshell-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/libtaskmanager-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/okteta-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/okular-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/oxygen-icons-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/phonon-kde-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/plasma-apps-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/plasma-runtime-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/plasma-workspace-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/renamedlg-plugins-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/solid-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/solid-runtime-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/svgpart-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/systemsettings-4.9.3 to /
kde-base/thumbnailers-4.9.3 to /
kde-misc/kde-gtk-config-2.1 to /
mail-client/thunderbird-17.0-r1 to /
mail-mta/postfix-2.9.4 to /
media-gfx/graphite2-1.2.0 to /
media-gfx/xsane-0.998-r1 to /
media-libs/glu-9.0.0 to /
media-libs/libcdr-0.0.9 to /
media-libs/libjpeg-turbo-1.2.1 to /
media-libs/libmtp-1.1.5 to /
media-libs/libvisio-0.0.21 to /
media-libs/mesa-9.0 to /
media-plugins/gst-plugins-meta-0.10-r7 to /
net-analyzer/metasploit-4.4.0-r1 to /
net-analyzer/nmap-6.01 to /
net-analyzer/wireshark-1.8.4 to /
net-dns/bind-tools-9.9.2 to /
net-firewall/iptables-1.4.16.3 to /
net-fs/cifs-utils-5.6-r1 to /
net-fs/samba-3.6.9 to /
net-libs/libmicrohttpd-0.9.23 to /
net-libs/libpcap-1.3.0 to /
net-libs/libproxy-0.4.10-r1 to /
net-libs/libssh-0.5.3 to /
net-misc/dhcpcd-5.6.2 to /
net-misc/openssh-5.9_p1-r4 to /
net-misc/tor-0.2.3.25 to /
net-misc/wget-1.14 to /
net-news/liferea-1.8.8 to /
net-print/foomatic-filters-4.0.17 to /
net-print/hplip-3.12.10a to /
sys-apps/busybox-1.20.2 to /
sys-apps/coreutils-8.20 to /
sys-apps/grep-2.14 to /
sys-apps/hwids-20121119 to /
sys-apps/man-pages-3.43 to /
sys-apps/module-init-tools-3.16-r2 to /
sys-apps/net-tools-1.60_p20120127084908 to /
sys-apps/openrc-0.11.6 to /
sys-apps/portage-2.1.11.31 to /
sys-boot/syslinux-4.06 to /
sys-devel/gcc-4.5.4 to /
sys-devel/llvm-3.1-r2 to /
sys-firmware/sgabios-0.1_pre8 to /
sys-fs/cryptsetup-1.4.3 to /
sys-fs/udev-171-r9 to /
sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.5.7 to /
sys-kernel/linux-headers-3.6 to /
sys-libs/cracklib-2.8.19 to /
sys-libs/tdb-1.2.10 to /
sys-power/acpid-2.0.17 to /
sys-power/upower-0.9.18 to /
virtual/glu-9.0 to /
virtual/jpeg-0 to /
virtual/python-argparse-0 to /
virtual/udev-171 to /
www-client/firefox-17.0-r1 to /
www-client/httrack-3.46.1 to /
www-plugins/adobe-flash-11.2.202.251 to /
x11-base/xorg-drivers-1.13 to /
x11-base/xorg-server-1.13.0-r1 to /
x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-304.64 to /
x11-drivers/xf86-input-keyboard-1.6.2 to /
x11-drivers/xf86-input-mouse-1.8.1 to /
x11-libs/cairo-1.10.2-r3 to /
x11-libs/gdk-pixbuf-2.26.4 to /
x11-libs/libdrm-2.4.40 to /
x11-libs/libvdpau-0.5 to /
x11-libs/libXaw-1.0.11-r1 to /
x11-libs/libxcb-1.9 to /
x11-libs/libXfont-1.4.5-r1 to /
x11-libs/libXrandr-1.4.0 to /
x11-libs/pixman-0.28.0 to /
x11-misc/xkeyboard-config-2.7 to /
x11-misc/xscreensaver-5.20 to /
x11-proto/dri2proto-2.8 to /
x11-proto/randrproto-1.4.0 to /
x11-proto/xcb-proto-1.8 to /